Pages

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Bats in My Belfry



Well, close. My neighbor put up a birdhouse on the newly trimmed Dead Telephone Pole Tree, which got me to thinking. So I googled and downloaded some How To Locate A Bat House, which said it should be located facing east on either a house or a pole. Since this Very Dead Telephone Pole Tree was a sort of very, very fat “pole.” so I googled for any Bat People and came up with a very nice local bat saver/expert and sent her a picture of the tree to see what her take was on putting up a bat house. I didn’t want to go to the expense and trouble if, in her opinion, it was an impossible site. Her general feeling: Ah, ya never know, so you could certainly try a bat house there and see what happens. Said that "bat's are extremely loyal to their establishes roosts, they don't like to move any more than we do if we are comfy . . " but that "basts lose their roosts often and it would be great if theyhad a place to move into. They are also very curious animals and will investigate . . . who knows, they may like it and move right in. If not, consider moving it to a different location after 2 years." Then she said she’d send my questions up to the Giant Bat Discussion Group In the Sky and see if there’d be any feedback.

But before I heard back, my neighbor called to say she had found an extra bat house a friend wasn’t using. So we figured, What the heck. Next up, I dragooned my other neighbor into helping (he has the extension ladder) and before long, Holy Batman! It’s a bat house.

Now we wait to see if anybody moves in.

4 comments:

Alon Perlman said...

leaping lizards Batwoman! It just might work!
I was "stationed" for a Job orientation in Austin Texas in the Merriot(?) next to what looked like an ordinary river overpass style bridge. A day or two in,(on the first saturday?) I saw a commotion on the patio, the brown "pidgeons" appeared highly agitated. Moving closer...

Churadogs said...

I've emailed the bat lady to ask if 15' would be better, in which case my neighbor said he'd get the ladder out and we'll move it up. Also spoke with another friend who said they have bat's "resting/roosting" up in their eves at night -- a kind of rest stop while hunting. Then in the day, they're gone, presumably back to their nests somewhere else. Interesting.

Anybody a bat expert, please chime in. Info I have says you leave the house in place 2 years and hope. And watch out for wasps moving in if no bats do.

mom said...

i want a bat house!!!!

Churadogs said...

Donna, if you google bats and bat houses, there should be descriptons and plans and also kits for sale. SLOTown's Bird's Unlimited had them for sale I think. Very easy to make, just have to get the dimensions right and follow the directions.